Energy

On a typical year, GCU uses around 12.5 GWh of electricity and 14.3 GWh of gas (HESA returns), but investments in energy efficiency and awareness are beginning to deliver reductions in consumption.

Monitoring Energy Consumption

To understand and manage our electricity consumption, we have installed electricity sub-meters in all our buildings and through our Carbon Management Plan have a number of initiatives to reduce it.

Investing in Energy Efficiency

To reduce energy consumption throughout our estate, we're investing in photosensitive and movement sensors light switches, upgrading lighting to LED, rationalising our servers and using more energy efficient models and installing a power management system for desktop computers.

Investing in Lower Carbon Energy

The University's Energy Centre, which is part of the Campus Futures redevelopment project, came online during the Summer 2013 and provides lower carbon electricity than is available to the University from the National Grid.

In addition to improving the carbon intensity of our energy, we're further reducing our greenhouse gas emission by investing in: new windows; the Heart of Campus redevelopment; and our commitment to ensuring that any new buildings are rated BREEAM Good (as a minimum). Combined, these and other initiatives will help us reduce our energy consumption and carbon emissions, which we report on an annual basis through the Universities and Colleges Climate Commitment for Scotland.